“Homeopathic vaccines hurt people and hurt our society. Warning labels will help but nosodes should be banned,” says Canadian Medical Association president Dr. Chris Simpson.

Controversially, Health Canada has approved the use of nosodes, but the products must contain the warning: “This product is neither a vaccine nor an alternative to vaccination. This product has not been proven to prevent infection. Health Canada does not recommend its use in children and advises that your child receive all routine vaccinations.”

Schwarcz, however, thinks nosodes should be banned altogether. And he’s not alone.

“Parents need to understand that the evidence would not support the use of these to prevent vaccine-preventable diseases,” said Dr. Michael Rieder, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research chair in pediatric clinical pharmacology.

In July, a new study showed Canada is falling short of a key level of community immunization.

Stats Canada’s “2013 Childhood National Immunization Coverage Survey” revealed that about 89% of two-year-olds had received the recommended number of immunizations against measles, mumps and rubella and about 77% of two-year-olds had received the required number of shots for diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough) and tetanus.

The 89% number falls short of a key level that scientists believe helps prevent the outbreak of disease. A vaccination level of 95% ensures what is referred to as “herd immunity” or “community immunity”. When this level of the population is vaccinated, disease has almost no chance of spreading to society at large.

While some parents will no doubt ignore the warnings and try to use nosodes to protect their children from Whopping Cough, the chorus of scientists opposing them is growing louder, and includes the head of the Canadian Medical Association